Year on, court acquits four accused of murder

Four people accused of murder were acquitted on Wednesday after the defence pointed out to the sessions court that the person who recorded the dying declaration of the deceased did not remember anything.

Four people accused of murder were acquitted on Wednesday after the defence pointed out to the sessions court that the person who recorded the dying declaration of the deceased did not remember anything.

The police said that the deceased, Shankar Bansode, was in love with one of the accused’s wife, Prerna.

On June 18, 2009, Bansode called up Prerna at 1.30 am and told her that he is coming over to her house in two hours.

But when Bansode approached Prerna, she raised alarm.

The police said her husband, Prashant, tried to stop Bansode, but the latter attacked him with a knife.

Prashant then called his neighbours for help and they all allegedly assaulted Bansode.

Bansode succumbed to his injuries in the hospital after giving his dying declaration.

The police later arrested Prashant, Datta Shekar, Sagar Pillai and Appuraja Devendra and booked them for killing Bansode.

During the trial, the prosecution examined eight witnesses to prove the case.

“During cross-examination the person who recorded Bansode’s dying declaration could not remember the contents of the statement and thus the declaration was not proved”, said defence lawyer, Abdul Wahab Khan.

Accepting Khan’s argument, the sessions court acquitted all four accused for lack of evidence and prosecution’s failure to prove the case.